Distractions

Feeling very glum following the loss of my lovely little Darcey, I ticked off all the boring jobby sort of jobs from my list, fixed the hen house and added some extra fox-proofing and settled down to an afternoon of nice distracty projects.

Here is a little taster of something I started this afternoon, keep your eyes peeled for the finished project!

Then I did some cooking.

Delicious Crunchy Granola

This is soo quick and easy, a lot cheaper than the shops, and low in sugar.

3 1/2 cups oats (porridge oats/rolled oats/barley flakes/rye flakes or a mix)

3/4 cup seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseed, sesame seeds - any or a mix)

2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

3 tbsp honey (British or Fairtrade is best)

1 tbsp oil (sunflower or nut)

1 1/2 tbsp water

pinch salt

Put the honey, oil, water and salt in a large pan over a gentle heat until warm.

Stir in the other ingredients, spread on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 150C/gas mark 2 for 20 mins, then stir and bake for another 15/20 mins until golden.  Leave to cool before adding dry fruit and store in an airtight tin.

A particularly good addition is 1 1/2 tps cinnamon stirred in before going in the oven, and then add raisins, sultanas and chopped dried apple, or you could go tropical and add flaked coconut and dried tropical fruits.  Adjust the recipe to suit your taste - more or less seeds, no nuts, more honey for a sweeter taste, it is totally up to you!

For supper we had a bit of an experiment, which luckily worked and was actually rather delish.  Quinoa (said 'keen-wah') is a fab little seed and a bit of a closet super-food.  It contains lots of protein, has a low glycaemic load, is high in fibre, is rammed with all sorts of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.  It is also very tasty.

As well as these tasty little patties, you can use it as a lighter alternative to pasta, rice, and couscous.  If you keep cooking it, let the water boil out and add a splash of milk, it makes a fab porridge.

Quinoa Patties

(Serves 4)

4 handfuls quinoa

1 egg

4 tsps self raising flour

salt and pepper

Place the quinoa in a pan of boiling water and boil for 15 -20 mins until cooked (think pasta texture).

Leave until lukewarm then whisk in egg and flour and salt and pepper.  At this point if you wish, you can add herbs, spices, chilli flakes, grated cheese or parmesan to taste. 

Heat a large splosh of oil in a frying pan and spoon in flattened, tablespoon-sized blobs.

Fry until golden, then turn and fry until golden the other side.

We had ours with sauteed spring greens (fry finely chopped onion or shallot in a little oil until soft and golden, add shredded spring greens, fry for a few minutes, add a clove of garlic finely chopped or crushed and fry a couple more minutes until the greens are soft and the bite of the garlic is gone.), grilled goats cheese and sweet chilli jelly.

They would also go well with grilled halloumi cheese and sweet chilli, roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes, soup or stews, poached egg and bacon, grilled/fried mushrooms...

Food solves all - now I feel much better, still sad, but able to bear it!